Chapter 2: Memories of Eva

Warning!

The following scenes mentioned abuse, child marriage, cruelty, and violence. Please read on with caution.

Evthys Hassan

Opening my eyes I can see the unfamiliar ceiling and feel the hot weather. Where the hell I am? slowly getting up, a woman appeared and open the bed curtain fabric. "Eva? Glory to great Ra that you're awake!" The woman said cheerfully. I clutch to my head and give it a massage then look to the woman and my eyes widened.

"Dia...?" When I called her name, she tilted her head to the side "Dia..." I went to her and grabbed her arm and shook her "hey, hey! What's wrong with you?! Eva?!" She was shocked and tried to get away from my grip. "Where are we?! What is this place?!"

Dia was looking at me in surprise "Eva... Did you lose your memories after you jump to the nile?" Dia's words caught my breath away, I remember, Isman also mentioned this to me. Did I really jump on the nile? I dropped my hand and pulled away from Dia's arms. "where are we...?" despite to my confusion, i ask her again. "Eva, we're here at the temple of thot, in Hermopolis" i recalled to what she just said. Hermopolis? The middle land of Egypt? Temple of Thot? No way... Dia must be lying at me, it can't be...

Jumping out of the bed and push Dia out if the way, i ran to the terrace and was shocked to see...

a different place. There was no cars, no Archeologist, building. Nothing, as in nothing at all. Only chariot everywhere, people wore ancient clothes, traider...and houses... Old houses made of mud brick and wood, "oh my god...." everything was different as if i was in Ancient times. So I did traveled back in time?? But then it jolted me up "I'm....I'm in the fucking Ancient world?!!!! No... No... No fucking way...!" I stumbled back and almost fall to the floor when Dia catch me in time. "Eva..! Invisible god, what is wrong with you?!"

"Oh my god....! You're not my Dia! gods!" I shouted and pull myself away from her. I just noticed what she wears, she had the same hair as my timeline, long and curly. She wears blue dress that reveals her tights, she even wore light make up that was made of here in Ancient Egypt. And Dia said invisible god. That is similar, to what? 'oh my god?' I also heard this word back when I was at the nile. everything here is ancient, gods so I'm really here all the way back in Ancient Times. I'm like in BC? What year is it now?

"gods Eva, what is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind after you jump in the nile?" When Dia saw me looking pale and quite, she gasped "so... you lost your memories?!" Dia quickly grasp my arms and places her hand to my forehead "you don't have fever, i should call healer. They might answer the question" Dia was about to leave but I stop her and he looks at me bewildered "I'm fine, there is no need to call a... healer" I looked around and I was passionate to see the look of the room.

Dia said my name as 'Eva' but the name is my nickname to the other world, which is my world. That means my name must be same as my timeline, 'Evthys'. Dia is here and that means, Ramesses is also here, i also remember that he was also in the nile but I couldn't see him properly because I wasn't focus. i smirk and thought: i can't wait to see his look in Ancient times if we meet again, surely I can see him properly. "If i was here, then this body is also not mine?" Dia hears me and he was shock "Eva, what on earth?" I saw a hand mirror take it to see my reflection. I was even more surprised to see myself.

Oh my god... I look different. My face was same as my world, but the difference is. I was even more beautiful here in Ancient times, well i was beautiful in my world but here? Yeah definitely. No wonder my looks in my world is beautiful, as it turns out, i was beautiful before. It also proof that the woman in Egypt are beautiful and attractive, right before my birth.

Looking to the mirror, i saw myself wearing a slight make up, my hair is just like Dia's. But mine is wavy and long. Looking down, i also see that the clothes I'm wearing is too much revealing. Seems like the Ancient me loves to wear revealing clothes. Or perhaps this is the traditional clothes here for Ancient Egypt? "you should be more careful Eva. Especially now the hunters are already here! The Epistates still haven't arrive yet but his hunters can surely kill us!" I look at Dia ""Kill?" what are you saying Dia?" she sighs and look at me uninterested "don't you remember? We're the dark magician, people call us Shesmu. And people like us shouldn't do this stuff because it's against the law of the Pharaoh. And anyone get caught practicing this craft will die, but before we die, we will be face into torture chamber" Dia's words made me shiver.

"wait, wait, wait... Are you saying... I'm a shesmu...? That means I'll get executed if I ever get caught?" Dia nodded while she goes back folding the bedsheets. My jaw drop. Shesmu... Invisible god... But how come I'm a shesmu???? Why did I broke the rule??? Wait... I take the mirror and look to my face again and i look down. my clothes are too much revealing, am I always wear this clothes? If Dia is different in my world, then that means I am also different here in this timeline. Which means this body is not belong to me, well sure it is me but still it's not my body. Could it be... No, the Evthys here and my world switch bodies???

"Eva"

"Huh? What?"

"I called you Eva, many times! since you're back and wake up. We should go"

"go?" Dia look at me annoyed "don't tell me you already forgot? Ugh, god's Eva you did really lost your memory. What was in your right mind to jump the nile anyway" I clicked my tongue and frown. Ah yeah, how should I know? That's why I'm asking you. Ask me that I am not to myself and I will gladly answer you that I'm not your Evthys. "We have lesson today, but we should go with Remmao before we study. But first change, you look so horrible"

Dia took some clothes and put it on my bed. "here, these are from yours. Choose one and I'll be the one styling your hair." Dia begun to change her clothes as well and I choose one of the kalasiris. I keep looking to the clothes and something caught my eye and decided to wear it.

In ancient Egypt, women primarily wore simple, ankle-length sheath dresses called "kalasiris". It's a typically sleeveless or had thin straps and could be worn above or below breast, depending on personal preference.

These dresses were made of linen ans could be worn with or without a shawl or cape, depending on the wearer's social status and the weather. Lower class women might wear more simple, coarse linen version while the upper class women often adoring them with wearing elaborate ornaments like beads and feathers.

After wearing my clothes, Dia was also finished and look me up and down and satisfied nodding at me "Yep, it so like you. Good thing you didn't lose your taste of wearing" she smirks while put her hand to her hip. "and my hair?" "Ah, right. sit here and I'll do your hair" when I sat down at the cushion, Dia begun to comb my hair and style it. After styling my hair, she checks my face and think something. "Something is missing, we should add jewellery like bracelets to complete your look."

Dia opens the box of jewellery and starts to look. And when she found one she hand it on me to put it on. And she also took something, "we should put you make up for final touch" she said and begun to mix some ingredients and after a while put it to my face.

In the ancient Egypt, women used a variety of techniques and tools to apply makeup, including brushes, sticks, and pads, along with palettes for mixing and applying pigments. They used kohl, a dark-colored powder for lining their eyes, creating the iconic "cat's eye" look. For lipstick and blush, ancient women used red ochre, a red clay, for lips and cheeks.

And when everything was complete, she clap her hand and look to my appearance. "Damn Eva, now any man will fall for your feet! you're so gorgeous!" I blushed from her words and look away, Thank her.

I look myself to the mirror and I feel like that I was different person. I never wear like this in my entire life. And these clothes are...damn. Too much revealing. I blush thinking that of I got out, everyone will look at me. But I don't want anyone caught their attention to me. Dia wrap my arms and pull me along her. "well Evthys, let's go!" "hey wait a minute!" without even give me a chance, Dia pull me and opens the door.

I block the light away from my eyes, and when everything was clear, I saw a fascinated sight. "Can you please pass this one to our mentor? My sister needs me" one of the man pass his some pyrus to the other man and they took it "Ria, help me here!" The girl came to the other girl to help her with some heavy fabric. Many young people including young teens were outside the room doing their business.

Others chattering and laughing right at the hallway. Oh my god...so many ancient people here. I look around to see more drawings on the wall, ancient vase, and more elder people that was seem like teachers teaching their students. "Remmao will be here any moment" Dia pulling me and got down to stairs. "Dia, Eva, it's good thing you guys are here" Ramesess walk to us with pryus on his arms. "Where's Remmao?" "He'll be here, he told us to wait."

Ramesess walk to the other room and Dia and I follow him. Inside the room were like office or classroom, I stop and ask "three tables? Is it the three of us only?" Dia sat down to her chair and turned her head "yeah, others are got expelled or get caught and executed." chills ran down to my spine when I heard "executed" word "executed? You mean they...they were killed? How many are we?" "We used to be five students but now it's only three of us. As for your question, yes, they were killed in public at the Thebes. Young dark magic or elder magician got killed almost everyday especially in capital" Ramesess joined.

Capital? Is he talking about Memphis? Memphis was used to be capital city of ancient Egypt before. "You mean in lower Egypt? The Memphis?" Both Ramesess and Dia nodded. "So we need to be careful to our actions because we might face consequences and also we need to be careful around hunters. They might capture us once they got to know who we are" Dia squint her eyes in annoyance.

"Since we...uhm...study as dark magician, what are we going to learn?" I asked while sitting down and Ramesess look at Dia with questioning look. And Dia explained that I lost my memory after happened to me at the Nile. "Oh great Ra, your memory is lost??? It makes me happy and sad for you at the same time Evthys." Ramesess sat down to his chair.

"Since your memories is lost, we can tell you the details of what we learning" Dia cross her legs while Ramesess adjust himself to his seat. "Us, the young people who have lack of money and also education will be brought here to learn dark magic by learning the two craft. Necromancer and Oneiromancer. The Necromancy is the art of communicate to the death and Oneiromancer is the art of the dream where some of us step to someone's dream." "And you can't do both of those skills. You need to choose one only. But I think you can do both, if you managed them."

Oneiromancer, step to someone's dream while the Necromancy is to communicate to the death. Both of them are interested and I wanted to learn both. "Uhm, question. Can I learn both of them?" Dia nodded "yes, our mentor will tell us what to do, if you can't do one of them, then that means the other one will be your skills. It depends on our liking. I like Oneiromancy more" Dia smirk and eye take glance to Ramesess and of course Ramesess smirk back "is that a coward coming from you, Dia?"

"I'm not. I just don't want to disturb the dead" Dia shrugs "and what's so wrong to do the Necromancy?" "Well you have to disturb the death, and doing Necromancy is harder because you have to see the death body and smell their rotten scent." Ramesess scoff "and all I can hear right now is whining scummy Oneiromancer" Ramesess said rolling his eyes. "I am oneiromancer Ramesess, and I don't like to disturb the dead. It might follow me"

"And before I forgot, only powerful shesmu can used two skills of magic while the common shesmu like us can only used one. I don't know why but Remmo said that it will be risky to used both of magic skills" Dia added and Remesses lean his elbow to the table and said "maybe it was dangerous for us to used such both skills and oh, Dia was right about you. we almost thought that you might become a oneiromancer."

Ramesess snort and looks at me and Dia roll her eyes then look to me and said softly "Don't be upset on his words Eva, he is only saying that because he feels relief that your not learning necromancy because you found it hard. He is satisfied, his your opponent after all."

The door opens behind us and a tall, long haired, and black eye shadow man came inside. "While the three of you are still under my care and my students, you can't call yourself as oneiromancer and necromancer" the man said looking at Ramesess then to Dia and his eyes landed on mine. "Ah, Evthys. It's good to see you again. How are you?" I was about to speak when Dia beat me to it "She lost her memories, Remmao" I look at the man "Remmao? Your our mentor?" I softly asked and he nodded and close the door behind him and walk to his desk.

"I would like to welcome you Eva for being here again. You have no idea how much these two miss you" Remmao chuckles and grins at both Ramesess and Dia. "Really?" Both of students avoid my gaze at them and advert their eyes from me. "Since the three of you are already here, let us start with our lesson"

"Since Evthys lost her memories, I will recalled what we discussed these past days. Firstly from Oneiromancer. For Oneiromancer, dark magician step to someone's dream, whatever you do inside to someone's dream will affect their will being and their lives. And to remind you that if you got hurt, it will also affect on you after you step out from the dream.

The lessons that we discussed about oneiromancer is...to step someone's dream in distance without reaching out for them and only feel their ka"

Remmao clasps his hand together behind him. "As for the Necromancy, this skill is different, the dead has no feelings, all you need is to imagine how this person's life gone through and how they died. Unlike the dream it has feelings, while the death cannot get distracted while performing the Necromancy, because if you get distracted, the communication between life and death will be cut off and it will scare off the Ka. In order to succeed, you need to calm yourself first before you proceed to perform the skill of Necromancy. And no emotional distracted, same goes to Oneiromancy but different. while stepping someone's dream, you must calm them so the Ka won't get distracted and not to wake them up from their dream."

"Wait so about the oneiromancer, to perform it you have to read their feelings while they're sleep. So, if we read someone's feelings and feel them, then we can step inside their dream, is that it?" Remmao nodded at my statement "not only that, before step in to their dream, you will catch the warmth of their Ka using your mask, it also same to the necromancer" Ramesess added to his brother's explanation about our lesson.

"Okay, now I get about the two skill" seem like I have to practice these two skills. "Uh, mentor? Question." Remmao look at me again as he was about to turned around "yes?" "About the skill. Do I have to choose one between the oneiromancer or necromancer before I start my training, or I have to practice the two skills so I will know which one I'm good at" Remmao thinks about my question when Dia spoke "before you lose your memory, you're good at oneiromancer than the necromancer" Dia grimace and i got suprise to her words.

Than the necromancer is my problem then. But why? Is it because we will see death bodies? Thinking about it makes chill ran down to my spine. "Damn it..." I curse under my breath. "If there are no questions, let us start with our lessons now" Remmao said, begining his lessons for our skill.

"Now for our lesson today is still Oneiromancer" as Remmao announced, Ramesess groan and look to our mentor with displeasing look "come on brother, you know I don't want to perform that thing. I want necromancer, it should be came that first" said Ramesess and Remmao gives him a slight glare. did he just call our mentor brother? "Ramesess, let me just remind you that even you hate this skill you still have to perform it. You're barely managed to do the skill of the dream, like Evthys and Dia who is also behind of the Necromancy. " Remmao also added, saying: "and besides, I teach you this skill as it's part of our job. This is our secret occupation, where this kind of job is forbidden on the Pharaoh's laws."

So, my ancient self is practicing this skill because her occupation is a dark magician? damn, this woman is rebellious. "If there are no more question, we will start now" Remmao heads to his table and picked up a tiny bottle, inside was a orange liqueur. "What is that?" I asked while my eyes still on the bottle.

"This tinture is called iboga. This tinture is used for Oneiromancer for training, this was usually what the mentor give to their student when they're practicing the Oneiromancy. It has strong scent and probably you don't like the taste of it." Dia lean forward to me and said "it taste bitter" "Now, Evthys. It's your turn to drink the tinture. Dia already done it" Dia cheer in silent and look at me with her triumph smile. "Don't worry, you will get used of it. Come on" Dia said and she took the tinture and hand it to me.

I hesitate at first but I take it from her hands and slowly open the bottle. When the scents was reach to my nose, I wince and try not to throw up. "gods, it stinks...it has strong smell....!" I cover my nose and make sure the bottle is away from me but even still, the strong scent still reach on my nose. "Evthys, you need to fight the scent if you wanted to be oneiromancer skill" Dia said and Ramesess, grimace while pinch his nose to trap the scent. "ugh, that is why I hate being oneiromancer. I don't want to have the same faith as you both" He said and Dia snort at him "too bad, you will also have to experience this one as well, Ramesess" she replied and turn her attention to me.

"Go ahead Eva" Dia encourage me and I take one last look to the bottle before I took a sip. Just like what Dia said, it taste bitter and also I wanted to throw it up but I forced myself to drink the whole bottle. I feel myself throwing up and I covered my mouth, tears shows on my eyes. "now, close your eyes Eva, I'm going to step in your dreams." I nodded and closed my eyes.

At first, everything was dark and I can only hear the sound outside of the doors. Just a few seconds, everything was silent.

Dia

When I saw Eva already closed her eyes, I remembered what Remmao told me. Dia, remember, after Eva drink the iboga. I want you to reached in her dreams and find out about hear fears or secret. If you saw something that is related to Saamon, I want you to do something. Anything just to make Eva forget what she learn. That was Remmao told me.

I couldn't understand why he want me to erase her memories that is part of her life. But why did he say that, there is related to Saamon? Is it really important? "Dia, remember what I told you." Remmao said in stern and cold tone while patting my shoulder that made me shudder and chills ran to my spine and I just nodded at him. I kneel down in front of Eva and focus to her feelings to feel the warmth of her Ka. My eyes light in purple and when I feel Eva's Ka, that was the time I go to her dream.

Evthys Hassan

Everything was dark, at first, it was lonely and cold. Is this how oneiromancer work? I look around me but everything was dark until a light portal not far away from appeared. curious, I took a step forward to see it. And while getting closer, I started to hear voices.

"You should remember. This marriage can only save us, so don't fail me!"

"But mother! I don't want to be in marriage! I'm still 12!"

A voice of two person. A woman and a girl. And I knew that their voices were mother and daughter's conversation. And they had argument about the marriage. But who's voices are those?

"As a priestess, you must know how to attract man"

Another voice was coming from the portal. "As huntress, you must have strength! If you don't have one then don't become one of us!" "Isman! Isman!" "Eme...!" Another voice and other voice was coming out from the portal at the same time that it made my head aches. What's going on? What're these voices that comes from the portal? Despite my head was about to explode, I keep walking until I reach the portal and I closed my eyes to prevent the brightness.

And soon, when everything was over. I gently open my eyes. "Eva? Are you alright?" A voice? Another woman's voice? I lift my head and saw who was Infront of me. "Eva?" My eyes widened and I jumped back that my knee was hit under the table, the woman flinch and back away. Selena?!!! What on earth?! How-?! But she died! "What are you doing here?!" There was another cold woman's voice asking Selena. "Didn't I tell you not to come in here?! Who told you to be here?!" The voice of a woman who talked to Selena....was me.

My mouth was move on its own, I feel displeased, rage, and discomfort to see Selena in my room. "Eva, I was knocking at your door but you weren't answering. So I came inside because I was worried about you" Selena's replied made my tongue click and scoff. "I don't need your concern, get out of my room before I dragged you out of here by forced." despite my rudeness, Selena just nodded and smile at me which it made me disgust about her.

My feelings and this Eva was connected. Her emotions and actions are from hers, so it was no wonder I act this way. Seems like I was inside of her body, is that mean that I have to see everything from her eyes? "Then, if that's what you want, then I will be leaving." Selena give me one last look before leaving me alone, the woman, which was Eva sigh deeply and sit to her bed. "That Isfet thinks that she is so perfect and pretend to be a nice woman when she is just like one of them. She only gets to have the higher position all thanks to her lover." I took the unfinished mask and started to paint it.

While doing my activity, everything goes blurred and dark again. A few seconds later, the vision of mine was different now. It was dark and I was in different room, there were bottles at the shelf and tiny pots on the table. "You speak as if you haven't done anything. It was you, isn't?" Again, my own voice speaks up. This time, I feel the fear and tremble inside her. I feel a lump on my throat. A voice of man was laughing and it echos to the whole room.

"Just what I expected from you. Tell me, how did you know this was me?" I turned around to face him, but to my surprise, his face was clouded and not reveal who he was, but myself still replied him. "Your soul is warm as normal citizen. Shesmu's soul will go cold after practicing dark magic. But somehow, you have one. It was you all along who cursed Thebes. Right, Hemset?" The man smile creepily behind his mask and he walked around me, I tried to stay of my composure not letting my fear out of me.

"Too bad, Remmao didn't manage to keep an eye from one of his student. Such reckless, stubborn. I asked you before to stop this. But you wouldn't listen" I can't help myself but sneered and say "I'm rebellions after all. I don't listen to anyone." I can feel the man doing something behind my back and slowly coming towards me. I hold a dagger that was on my thigh covered with my clothes getting ready to attack. "I have something to tell you" i was about to turned around when: he grabs my hair and yanks me making me look at him and he his under his mask "it's all about you, Nepthys Merenset!"

Feared made me freeze but I still keep calmed. Without wasting time, I take out the knife from my thigh and stab it right on his left shoulder and the masked man scream in pain, letting me go. But that wasn't enough, the mask man grabs me and push me to the window, and I tried to grabbed the curtains but because of my strong strength it broke and I fall down and hit to the ground, I feel my head hit something. My body trembles and I feel something coming out from my head, it was warm red liquid. "Eme...? Eme...!" A voice of a young male came running to me, it was Isman. And soon darkness took over me.

I gasped and open my eyes and grabbed Dia's arm as soon she was back away. I slowly sit up straight, my head throbs but soon it was faded away. "How are you?" Remmao gives me the cup of water and I took it from him. "Good...i guess?" Remmao nodded and said "that took a lot time. We started to feel worry about you because you still not waking up, but now everything is alright." The mentor clasp his hand together and nodded towards the door. "If you haven't eaten anything yet, go to others and eat something. I will call you when I need you all"

The three of us are out from our studies to go outside. "Damn, finally I can eat my favorite meal. catch you guys later, bye!" Ramesess left us excitedly going to the tables with other students from the temple having their food and chat with others. "Dia, how often we have to trained to be skilled dark-" before I can even finish, Dia shush me and look around. "Be careful Eva, everyone has ears open." I nodded and lower my voice. "Does practicing to be shesmu is hard?" "Not hard. It's just takes time. In fact this was illegal for us but right now we need this to survive"

"Seems like the pharaoh doesn't know?" Dia stop walking and look at me with firm reply "No" before she continues. "It's a hard life to be a shesmu. You will die young, even you're first year or after finishing learning the skills. Once you get caught, it's all over."

"I think you both of you should be careful"

"Huh?"

A new voice joined our conversation snapping me out of my thoughts, i turned around to see a young and tall man with bunch of scrolls on his arms carrying them. "Isman! Invisible god you scared us. don't creep us like that!" Dia exhale in relief while scolding him, the young man, Isman smile kindly at her. I saw him when I first open my eyes and then to my dream...his name was Isman...I can't believe I met him three times now.

Isman's eyes shifted to me and he nods and smile. "Eme, how are you doing? I'm glad you're okay. I thought you won't wake up" Isman's smile faded away, his eyes shows that he was concerned to Evthys. "Uhm...yeah, I am. Thanks for your concern." I smile at him awkwardly and as if remember something, Isman look to his side before he step closer to lower his voice. "You guys need to be careful. especially he's coming all the way here" ""He?" Who's coming?" Dia and I look each other and then Isman replied: "The Supreme Epistates."

To Be Continued....

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